CPU

The tech market of 2018 is filled with different types of processors or CPU’s and we as buyers get confused as the names of these GPU do not tell us their value. It can be really confusing to distinguish which version of which processor is better than the other and for what reason. So I will try to explain to you the CPU hierarchy system to some extent in this guide.

Tips & Thought CPU Hierarchy

Top CPU Performance: Hierarchy table

There are different types of CPU in the market manufactures by 2 major companies, Intel and AMD. The Intel series of CPU follows the names of Core i9 that is the most powerful processor but not commonly used. The core i7 8th generation followed by the 8th gen i5 and i3 are the top leading processors of present day market followed by 7th gen i7,i5 and i3 respectively. The AMD processors go by the series starting from the Ryzen 7 and then Ryzen 5.

Top CPU Hierarchy 2018: 5 tier

To make the process easier, the major CPU are divided in 5 Tiers from highest to lowest at desktopcon.

Tier1: The absolute Best

Quick Tips

Core i9 7980XE, and Ryzen Threadripper 760X are current market leaders in this tier with the best performance and much more stability compared to earlier versions. They are not made for gamers but for the high power consuming workstation.

About these Absolute Best CPU

These absolute best CPU are the most powerfull microprocessors in the market. They are not aimed at gaming computers and rather aim at high end workstations that need more core power and more speed that the usual processors cannot provide. The Intel i9 provide raw power that is not comparable to any other microprocessor while the AMD Threadripper is an affordable solution fot the workstaions if the core i9 is out of the budget. If these processors are used for the need of gaming then their potential will not be unlocked as any present graphic card would easily bottleneck the power of these processors.

Tier2: Superb Performance

Quick tips

This tier of processors contains mostly AMD Ryzen 7 2700X and Ryzen 2700 CPU. From Intel the microprocessors that contribute to this tier are i7-8700K and the i& 8700 if considering the latest generation of processors.

About these Superb Performance CPU

The second tier CPU is the most widely popular processors that offer great power and performance and are aimed at desktop computers. They are much more affordable than the Tier 1 CPU but perform best on desktop computers. High end gaming systems or mid-level workstations both work perfect with these CPU. If you are professional gamer then you might need one of these but for average gamer these GPU would be overkill. The Intel processors lead in terms of single core processing power but the AMD Ryzen are much more affordable and perform equally well for a regular user.

Tier3: Good performance and reasonable prices

Quick tips

The tier 3 processors mainly include the Ryzen 5 2600X and the Ryzen2600 from AMD. The Intel Core i5-8600K , i3- 8350K and the i5- 8400 fall under this catogary keeping only the latest generation CPU in mind.

About the Good Performance and reasonable price CPU

The tier 3 of the processor family aim at the gaming community. Keeping the demands of modern day games in mind and enough power to work well with the latest graphic cards these tier 3 processors are ideal choice for gamers. Unlike other tiers, in tier 3 AMD has an edge over the Intel processors with its latest architecture and similar performance at more affordable price. These CPU are affordable and powerful and are perfectly balanced for gaming desktops. These processors have both single core performance and increased number of cores at affordable cost.

Tier4: Great Value for those on budget

Quick tips

Tier 4 CPU are much more affordable and include Ruzen5 2400G and the intel core i3-8100 considering only the latest generation of processors. These CPU are a much more affordable gaming solution to low budget computers.

About the Great Value for those on budget CPU

These tier 4 CPU compromise a lot of power over much more affordable prices when compared to tier 3 CPU. These CPU are sufficient for running most mid-range GPU as they do not bottleneck the mid-range graphic cards like the GeForce 940 or the 920 series. These are mostly dual core processors which are hyper threaded to create logical cores that hep in multitasking and entry level gaming. Inthis tier the AMD Ryzen are a much more value for money than the i3 processors.

Tier5: Affordable solution for the less demanding gamer

Quick tips

AMD falls behind in this series of processors as the AMD budget chips are much more less than this tier. Intel Pentium G4620 , G4600 and G4560 lead this tier of processors as none other competitor is on the level.

About Affordable solution for the less demanding gamer CPU

The 5th tier processors are microchips designed for very affordable prices and thus they are very weak. They are ideal for non-gamers like regular users or official use but can run games to some extent. AMD presents it’s a series processors or APU that are great for normal usage but fall very much behind and cannot be used for even light gaming. With that the Intel Pentium processors stand alone in this tier to provide less power for regular day computers.

Desktop & Laptop CPU Hierarchy lists

Desktop CPU Hierarchy

The Desktop CPU are much more powerful than the laptop CPU in terms of power. The i7 -8700k is the leading power supplier that provides the best power solution for high level or gaming workstations. The i5 8600k and Ryzen 7 series provide mid to high level power for gaming computers and can power up any graphic card in the market. The budget CPU include the core i3 8350k and Ryzen 5 processors that can be used in low or entry level gaming computers and the last but not the least are budget processor like AMD A series and the Intel Pentium series that are built for non-gamers.

Laptop CPU Hierarchy

The laptop versions of the processors do not include the K series of the Intel family. The Intel i78700 HQ is the top power provider of the laptop CPU. Then comes the i5 8600HQ and the Ryzen5 2600 processors for targeting the gamer section of the community. The budget processors for laptop are the i3 8100 and the Ruzen 3 2200G which are great for light weight gaming and multitasking as they provide hyper threading on dual cores. The Entry level laptops in the market have AMD A series processors ot the Intel Pentium processors and they are not made for gaming.

CPU Roundup Time

So after going through all the tiers and knowing which processor falls in which tier we need to take a look at the most commonly used microprocessors in modern laptops or computers. These CPU are all easily available and are the market leaders of their tier.

Quick Tips

These CPU in the market all have different series number that specify the power and also the generation of which they belong. You always need to look for the latest generation of Intel core CPU which at present is the 8th generation and for AMD fans the Ryzen series is the best in the market. So if you need the power and don’t want to compromise on anything then the 8th generation processors are your way to go. However if you are on a budget and need the best you can get for gaming purpose then don’t hesitate to go for the Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 CPU from AMD.

Intel i5 Roundup

The Intel Core i5 -8400k is one of the most leading microchip in the computer industry. This processor is manufactures specifically for gamers keeping in mind the amount of cores and shreds required for gaming. With about 6/6 cores and a base clock speed of 2.8 Ghz that can be significantly boosted, this processor is used in most of the gaming computers and laptops.

Intel i7 roundup

The Intel Core i7 is the most leading processor in the tier 2 due to its massive performance. With 6 cores and 12 Threads this microchip is aimed at workstation level computers and somewhat high end gaming systems. This CPU supports overclocking and provides base speed of 3.2 GHz that can go to waste if used for the sole purpose of gaming.

Intel i3 roundup

The Intel core i3 8100 is a budget processor. This CPU is manufactures for those users who are very tight on budget but still need a CPU than can perform multitasking and allows you to play low to mid end games efficiently. With 4 cores and 4 threads this processor provides a speed of 3.6 GHz which supports overclocking if you want some extra power out of the hardware.

AMD Processor Roundup

AMD has always provided the similar level of performance to a common user at a much lower cost. In the past year with the launch of Ryzen 7 2700X for tier 2 users and Ryzen 5 2600X for the tier 3 users AMD has improved a lot in the single core performance that they previously lacked. These processors are a much better fir for a regular user at more affordable price. The number of cores and threads is more and therefore these processors promise efficiency and better multitasking capabilities. For budget performance however AMD fails to compete as the A series APU of AMD are not capable to compete with the Pentium CPU, however the cost for A series is much lesser.

Best CPU for Gaming

Intel i5 8400HQ is considered the most powerful processor for gaming purposes as it is manufactures for the sole purpose of gaming itself. The CPU has the exact amount of power in it so that you do not lack any power or do not bottleneck even the powerful GTX 1080ti but at the same time it is made sure that no power goes to waste. I7 processor is considered overkill for the purpose of gaming. The Ryzen 7 and 5 processors are also great for the gaming with a lot of power packed in them.

The CPU of Tomorrow

The CPU of tomorrow will obviously more powerfully than the ones we see today. Each year new architecture is followed and adapted by major manufacturers so that they can boost the computing power of the microprocessors without increasing the size or power consumptions. In this battle between AMD and Intel, AMD has took a step forward this time by providing great power at affordable prices and there is not much time before Intel replies them with the new 9th generation processors. Yet again who knows what the future holds and how much improvement we see in technology in the coming years. But one thing is certain, the present day processors are not going anywhere anytime soon.

The Final Verdict

So this guide on CPU Hierarchy: Three rounds of great competition, was aimed at providing you information and knowledge so that the next time you see a processor you know exactly what to expect from it. That was all about the modern day processors and a lot more is yet to come in the future and I will make sure to update you when the time comes.